Charles Heerey


Charles Heerey

Archbishop of Onitsha
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseOnitsha
Appointed24 January 1927
Installed11 May 1985
Term ended6 February 1967
PredecessorJoseph Shanahan
SuccessorFrancis Arinze
Previous postsTitular Bishop of Balanea (1927)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Southern Nigeria (1927)
Vicar Apostolic of Southern Nigeria (1931)
Orders
Ordination24 September 1921
Consecration29 May 1927
by Joseph Shanahan
Personal details
Born29 November 1890
DiedFebruary 6, 1967(1967-02-06) (aged 76)
Nigeria
BuriedCathedral Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha
EducationUniversity College Dublin (BA)
Alma materBlackrock College
Rockwell College
Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin

Charles Heerey (29 November 1890—6 February 1967) was an Irish Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Onitsha from 18 April 1950 until his death on 6 February 1967.

Born in Castlerahan, Ireland, Heerey attended Blackrock College and Rockwell College for his elementary education, and St. Mary's Rathmines and Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin for his secondary education. He graduated with a BA from the University College Dublin, and was ordained a priest in Dublin on 24 September 1921 by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.

After his ordination, Heerey moved to Nigeria in 1922. In 1927, he was appointed as the Titular Bishop of Balanea and the Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Southern Nigeria in order to help Bishop Joseph Shanahan. In 1931, he succeeded Bishop Shanahan as the Vicar Apostolate until the vicariate was elevated to an Archdiocese in 1950, he became the Archbishop of the newly created Onitsha. He died while in office in 1967 and was succeeded by future Cardinal Francis Arinze.